Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Republican challenger Ron Saxton sparred over their plans for Oregon and on how they would solve the state’s problems in their last debate before the Nov. 7 election.
Both candidates answered questions from a panel on issues ranging from employment, education, police and immigration at a debate Tuesday in Medford.
Kulongoski said his efforts to attract new businesses to Oregon have let 130,000 unemployed Oregonians find work. He said Oregon places in the top 10 states for job creation because of its favorable economic and business climates and its creation of manufacturing jobs.
“I have fought to reduce crime, create more jobs, improve education and provide opportunities for all Oregons across all of this state,” Kulongoski said. “I’ve always worked for the working people.”
Saxton countered by saying that Oregon still ranked as having the sixth highest unemployment rate in the country and that many of the jobs Kulongoski had attracted were low-wage.
Saxton said Kulongoski had done little to achieve his inaugural promises of rebuilding the economy, making children the number one priority, curbing the state government’s expenditures and ending the “business as usual” attitude.
Saxton said the two choices in November were to re-elect Kulongoski or to vote for change.
“More than anything, change is needed so we can stop dripping towards mediocrity,” Saxton said.
Education
Both candidates emphasized the importance of education, but their ideas differed on how to fund it and how to make the education system more efficient.
? Kulongoski said his top priority would be implementing the Education Enterprise plan, which would commit 61 percent of the state’s general fund every two-year period to public education, from preschool to community colleges and universities. He said he had looked at ways to make education funding more efficient through plans like putting school employees under a single health plan. Kulongoski said the federal government needed to do its part in delegating more money to the Stafford Loans and Pell Grants, but he said his shared responsibility model or financial aid would be offered to students who work in the summer or during school. Kulongoski criticized Saxton for not having any plans to fund his education proposals and for supporting tax cuts and Measure 41, which Kulongoski said would take money away from the state budget.
? Saxton said budget discipline was the key to freeing up more money for higher education. Saxton also suggested new teachers should have higher starting wages and wage increases based on their merit, although he said he was open to suggestions on how a teacher’s merits should be decided.
Saxton suggested freeing up money by being “more efficient with how we manage the state government” in order to increase the amount of money given to higher education. Saxton said Kulongoski’s plans for funding education were built around raising taxes and that the solution was “more than just pouring money into the system.”
Crime
Kulongoski and Saxton also differed in regards to their stances on crime.
? Kulongoski said violent crime had decreased and that 70 percent of the methamphetamine labs had shut down under his leadership, although drugs were still being brought in from outside the state, he said.
“The federal government also has to step up to the issue like Oregon did,” Kulongoski said.
Kulongoski said he was also looking at new ways to get a dedicated funding source for state police funding.
? Saxton also agreed with treatment options, but he said Kulongoski failed to increase the number of state troopers and restore state police budgets.
Immigration
? Saxton criticized Kulongoski for not having a consistent position on immigration and for allowing illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses.
? Kulongoski said he supported President George W. Bush’s immigration reforms such as favoring a guest worker program, forcing employers to respect immigration laws and strengthening the U.S. borders.
Kulongoski said a state law prevented the Department of Motor Vehicles from asking if an applicant was a legal resident or not. A bill to correct this law had died in the Republican-controlled Oregon House, he said.
General
? In response to a question on what he would do in his first six months of office if re-elected, Kulongoski said his three priorities would be the Education Enterprise, his Healthy Kids Plan and making Oregon the “renewable energy capital of the country.”
? Saxton said he would look at budget and education issues, and would appoint new people to lead each department in the state. He said Oregon has the potential to be a great state but “what we need is leadership.”
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